Editorial [Hot Topic: Beyond Gynaecological Cancers: Psychological Challenges (Guest Editor: Vania Goncalves)]

The past several years have witnessed a growing level of attention devoted to understand how cancer affects the lives of those touched by this illness. This understanding goes beyond the physical suffering and sequalae, the limited focus on the cure to embrace a broader dimension that concerns psychological adjustments and mental well-being during the cancer trajectory. It would be rudimentary not to perceive this trajectory a complex path in an individual lives, which does not start when the diagnosis is made and it does not finish when the treatment ends. It would be also rudimentary not to acknowledge that during this path many issues, decisions, demands, changes are at a multidimensional level and constitute great threats and unique challenges for the individual diagnosed with cancer and those involved in the care. These can have a great impact on one's psychological functioning and quality of life. Each type of cancer brings a uniqueness of challenges and consequences, for example differing rates of morbidity and mortality. When designing this special issue, one imperative matter was to bring to light relevant issues related to women's health, inevitably. Another priority was to compile a collection of reviews on which the main topic would be cancer. Another concern was to bring to light issues and concerns that are underreported or less attention have been paid to them. Bringing these concerns together, it is not only appropriate, but also timely to offer a compilation of reviews about psychological impact of gynaecological cancers.

Gynaecological cancers are a frequent group of malignancies in women accounting for approximately 18% of all female cancers worldwide [1]. The most common are endometrial, ovarian and cervical cancer. Vaginal and vulvar cancers are rare [2]. Something that unites these malignancies is their effect on the reproductive organs that represent the physiologic core of femininity, motherhood and sexuality. Over the years, improvements in screening programmes and new advances in treatments have contributed greatly to extend the length of life following the diagnosis. These urged the need to investigate and understand quality of life and psychological adjustment to a series of ongoing life events, for example diagnosis, pregnancy, etc, that a woman diagnosed with gynaecological cancer has to face. Concomitantly to this understanding arises the urgency to provide psychological care to women to face different challenges imposed by their illness.

The five reviews included in this special issue have a common theme the psychological aspects of gynaecological cancers. The reviews, however, focus on psychological challenges faced by women to different events or issues that are associated with gynaecological cancers. Psychological aspects of gynaecological cancers are a broad field and several different issues can be discussed and explored. I trust that the readers of this special issue will find reviews with information about novel and pertinent topics, such as for example psychological implications about pregnancy during the illness.

This is a pioneer attempt to compile what is known in the field, which aims to make a substantial contribution to summarise and provide updated knowledge on the psychological impact of gynaecological cancer on different issues and events faced by these women. Much was accomplished with this special issue; nevertheless, much remains to be done and answered. However, I believe that this special issue is an important source of information about this topic of research, which will contribute to stimulate further and future discussions and hopefully, research.